Report by Customer Service and Operations Committee (A) 12-17-2015 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board Action/Information Summary Action Information MEAD Number: 201680 Resolution: Yes No TITLE: Approvals for Potomac Yard Station PRESENTATION SUMMARY: Review of Potomac Yard Metrorail Station Public Hearing, Docket R15-01, recommendations. PURPOSE: Approval of: Final Public Hearing Staff Report Selection of the preferred alternative Amend the Adopted Regional System (ARS) Property acquisitions for the project DESCRIPTION: Key Highlights: The Potomac Yard Station Project continues progressing. The next step in that process is closing out the WMATA Compact Public Hearing phase. Background and History: The City of Alexandria and WMATA prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Potomac Yard Station Project. The Federal Transit Administration and the National Park Service, as principal federal agencies, were involved in the preparation and review of the DEIS to ensure the federal requirements were properly addressed. The purpose and need of the station is "the project is proposed to improve local and regional transit accessibility to and from the Potomac Yard area adjacent to the U.S. Route One corridor for current and future residents, employees and businesses." Four build alternatives were carried into the DEIS and analyzed for their impacts to the environment and also compared to the no-build alternative. WMATA and the federal agencies required that a public hearing be held for public input on the DEIS. The Board granted approval in March 2015 to hold the public hearing. Twenty-four people testified at the hearing on April 30, 2015. In total, 183 comments were received at the hearing and during the subsequent 10 day comment period. Staff prepared a Draft Public Hearing Staff Report and publicized it for comment. Eight comments were received on Page 4 of 66
the Draft Public Hearing Staff Report. The Final Public Hearing Staff Report addresses all comments received throughout the process and makes a recommendation for the preferred alternative. As required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, staff conducted additional public outreach to minority and Limited English Proficient (LEP) customers regarding the proposed Potomac Yard Metrorail Station by translating the public hearing notice into Spanish and running the legal notice in El Tiempo Latino, a Spanish-language, freecirculation weekly newspaper, with a weekly readership of over 120,000 readers, and staff created a feedback form in Spanish and English that was distributed at the public hearing to collect demographics and event experience information from attendees. In compliance with Executive Order 12898 on environmental justice, staff also completed a detailed analysis of impacts on minority and low-income communities, as shown in the Environmental Impact Statement. No disproportionately high and/or adverse impacts on identified minority and/or low-income populations were identified under the build alternatives or B-CSX Design Option. Discussion: The City of Alexandria has selected Alternative B as its preferred alternative. WMATA s staff analysis of the information generated for the DEIS results in the same conclusion, Alternative B is the best station location that meets the purpose and need of the project. The staff recommendation is documented in the Final Public Hearing Staff Report. The WMATA Compact requires that changes to the ARS be approved by the Board. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board approve revising the ARS to add the Potomac Yard Station. The station will reside on property that has to be acquired by WMATA. The acquisitions, both permanent and temporary, will be necessary prior to the start of construction. As a result, staff is seeking approval for the delegation of authority to the General Manager for the acquisition of real estate for the project. FUNDING IMPACT: CRB013 - Potomac Yard Station Project Manager: John D. Thomas Project Department/Office: TIMELINE: TIES/MCAP April 2015 Held Compact Public Hearing Previous Actions October 2015 - Increased the project budget to advance the project towards the implementation phase Page 5 of 66
Anticipated actions after presentation December 2015 - Close the public hearing process Spring 2016 - Close the federal environmental review process RECOMMENDATION: Approval of: Final Public Hearing Staff Report Selection of the preferred alternative Amend the Adopted Regional System (ARS) Property acquisitions for the project Page 6 of 66
PRESENTED AND ADOPTED: December 17, 2015 SUBJECT: APPROVALS FOR THE POTOMAC YARD METRORAIL STATION 2015-62 RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY WHEREAS, In Resolution 2015-19, the Board of Directors approved holding a Compact-required Public Hearing (WMATA Compact Sections 13-15) for the proposed Potomac Yard Metrorail Station; and WHEREAS, The Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft General Plans prepared for the public hearing proposed four alternatives for station location and design plus a no-build alternative; and WHEREAS, A Public Hearing was held on April 30, 2015, at 7:00 p.m., at the Cora Kelly Recreation Center, 25 West Reed Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia; and WHEREAS, As required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, staff conducted additional public outreach to minority and Limited English Proficient (LEP) customers regarding the proposed Potomac Yard Metrorail Station by translating the public hearing notice into Spanish and running the legal notice in "El Tiempo Latino," a Spanish-language, free-circulation weekly newspaper, with a weekly readership of over 120,000 readers, and staff created a Feedback Form in Spanish and English that was distributed at the public hearing to collect demographics and event experience information from attendees; and WHEREAS, In compliance with Executive Order 12898 on environmental justice, staff also completed a detailed analysis of impacts on minority and low-income communities, as shown in the Environmental Impact Statement, and no disproportionately high and adverse impacts on identified minority and/or low-income populations were identified under any Build Alternative or B-CSX Design Option; and WHEREAS, Twenty-four people testified at the hearing; and WHEREAS, A report on the public hearing entitled Public Hearing Staff Report, Review of Public Hearing Testimony and Staff Recommendations, Proposed Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, Alexandria, Virginia Hearing No. 604, Docket No. R15-01 (Draft Staff Report) was prepared and publicized for comment; and WHEREAS, The Draft Ste1ff Report was released for public review on September 18, 2015, and the comment period remained open until September 28, 2015; and Motioned by Mrs. Hudgins seconded by Mr. Corcoran Ayes: 8 - Mr. Downey, Mr. Goldman, Mrs. Hudgins, Mr. Bulger, Ms. Tregoning, Mr. Corcoran, Ms. Harley and Mr. Dormsjo
WHEREAS, Eight comments were submitted on the Draft Staff Report, and WHEREAS, Staff has prepared the Public Hearing Staff Report Review of Public Hearing Testimony and Final Staff Recommendations, Proposed Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, Alexandria, Virginia Hearing No. 604, Docket No. R15-01 (Final Staff Report); and WHEREAS, In the Final Staff Report, staff recommends Alternative B, without construction access from the George Washington Memorial Parkway; and WHEREAS, The new station will require the acquisition of property; and WHEREAS, The Final Staff Report recommends adding the new station and acquired property into the Adopted Regional System (ARS); and WHEREAS, The Final Staff Report, along with a transcript of the public hearing have been made available to the Board of Directors, and the Board has considered this information; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Directors hereby approves the Public Hearing Staff Report Review of Public Hearing Testimony and Final Staff Recommendations, Proposed Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, Alexandria, Virginia Hearing No. 604, Docket No. R15-01; and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board of Directors authorizes the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer to take all necessary steps to acquire property necessary for the new station; and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board of Directors amends the ARS to include the new station and the acquired property; and be it finally RESOLVED, That this Resolution shall be effective 30 days after adoption in accordance with 8(b) of the WMATA Compact. Reviewed as to form and legal sufficiency, M~ Acting General Counsel WMATA File Structure Nos.: 12.7.2 Master Plans/Mass Transit Plan (including transit zone modifications) 18.8 Public Hearings and Meetings 2